Expand Eligibility for State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)

President Obama has kept the following promise:

"Obama will expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) programs and ensure that these programs continue to serve as a critical safety net." — Obama's Blueprint for Change

UPDATES:

Updated: February 4, 2009

President Obama signs SCHIP Reauthorization Act into law

On Wednesday, February 4, 2009, President Obama signed the SCHIP bill which had been passed by the U.S. Senate six days earlier on January 29th. With the stroke of his pen the President expanded the SCHIP program from 7 million children affected to 11 million.

"This is only the first step," Obama said. "As I see it, providing coverage for 11 million children is a down payment on my commitment to cover every single American."

Note: After catching heat for failing to post a feedback form about the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act on the White House website for five days of review and comment by the public, as he had promised during the campaign, it seems President Obama's staff made sure a feedback form for the SCHIP bill was posted on the White House site just hours after it was passed by the Senate.

Senate passes SCHIP Reauthorization Act

On January 29, 2009, the U.S. Senate approved the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, better known as the State Children's Health Insurance Program or SCHIP. Read the latest version of the legislation.

Soon afterward the White House added a page with a form for the public to leave your comments, thoughts, and ideas. You can see that page at the URL below.